Who were the eight idiots that didn't vote..

Cincykid8123

for Cal? Really, do they even follow baseball?

bri2327

They should have their voting rights revoked.

BTW...great quote Cincy !

detroitfan2

Rumor has it that at least one of the writers that didn't vote for Ripken refuses to vote for any player from the steroids "era". While the rest of the world is trying to gather "proof" that the McGwires of the world DID take steroids, this guy is doing the opposite - he wants proof that the Ripkens and Gwynns of the world DID NOT take steriods, and until he has been shown such proof, he's not voting. Perhaps it's a publicity stunt, or perhaps he doesn't want to wake up someday to find it proven that one of the players he voted for under the assumption that the player was clean did in fact take steriods.

It's unfortunate, but the more I think about it, if the guy's sincere, there's nothing wrong with his philosophy. Not saying I agree with, just saying it's not inconceivable that one or two percent of a given population could feel this way.

jamesgotpoorman

I think one was this guy...

cardfan07

the thing that bugs the crap out of me is that these writers have stolen some thunder from the guys who played the game, the ones inducted into the hall of fame. Instead of an entire day of ESPN radio talking about good stories of Gwynn and Ripken, they spent minutes and hours talking about this Jim (i think) Ladewski guy who signed his blank ballot. I dont know if this guy ever played ball, doesn't matter. He's a writer. A sportswriter. He gets to write, with impunity, about sports and athletes. Now he takes center stage on HOF day.
On a side note, I heard what the rules are for being a HOF voter. 10 consecutive years as a sportswriter and you get your BBWA license forever. You don't even have to write anymore.

Cincykid8123

Most people who follow the game, do believe that Cal was a rare individual indeed! As for a sportswriter who doesn't vote for any player from the roids era.. maybe he should give up his voting rights.. he's only irritating people who care. If that's true, then he's someone with some real trust issues!! I'd like to debate the person who thinks Tony Gwynn was on steroids.. with a body like Tony's I'd be checking the roid bottle for an expiration date!!

reiny81

First of all the idea that someone has to deserve to be voted in unanimously is laughable. It is one of things that is so screwed up with the current process. Either a guy is a hall of famer or he isn't. We are being told that a lot of these guys are not HOFers there first few years on the ballot, but suddenly after 5 or 6 six years now he is. What has changed? Nothing!! This is supposed to be about how good a guy was at baseball. Not about silly things like how many votes previous inductees got. If he deserves to be in the hall of fame you vote for him every time. If he does not you don't period. As regards to BIll Buckner, Let it go!! You won a World Series. The cures is broken. Leave the poor guy alone.

fsjeter

Each member casting a ballot can vote for as few as 0 and as many as 10. With all the candidates, I'm sure 6 of the 8 (as two cast blank ballots) assumed Ripken and Gwynn would have no problem getting the necessary votes and cast votes for others (Gossage, Rice, etc.). It's a shame but I'm sure it happens. There has never been a unanimous selection.

Scott

megatron

Eight Men Out?

megatron

From another thread.....

"One other thing to consider is that the voters have a limited number of votes. Having stated that, read the following scenario to understand how all HOF'ers have ended up with less than 100%, esp. in modern times.

A voter has 10 votes (let's say this), but has 11 guys that he wants to vote for. One of these guys is Tony Gwynn. It is a definite that Gwynn gets in and this voter believes his vote for Gwynn won't matter. Thus, he withholds his voting from Gwynn to give it to Tommy John/Lee Smith/Bert Blyleven/ or Andre Dawson, who has had a tough time getting in.

Have a few voters do this and the outcome is less than 100%, although their opinion of the player hasn't changed."

RipublicaninMass

I think one was Axell